Graduate Schools

Accountancy Class Secretary — Kim Talianko; ktalianko@alumni.nd.edu

 

Architecture

For the first time since 1973 when I started the Architectural Alumni receptions at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) conventions around the country, there was no reception this year in Boston. As a result, this and the next column may be shorter than usual since I usually received multiple pieces of information from the large number of attendees. Michael D. Brennan ’92, Ph.D., AIA, (US Army Col., Ret.), Falls Church VA, executive director, Construction and Facilities Management, US Department of Veterans Affairs, announced that his retirement from federal service took place during this year’s Memorial Day weekend, after six years with the department. Former Prof. Thomas Norman Rajkovich ’83 (magna cum laude), Evanston IL, is founder and principal designer of Rajkovich Architect, which received the 2025 Palladio Award from Traditional Building for the design of a new chapel in Chicago. In late 2024, Patrick J. Endler ’90, AIA, Wilkes Barre PA, was appointed by PA Gov. Shapiro to the PA State Architects Licensure Board. He joins William J. Bates ’75, Pittsburgh, also serving on the board. While attending this year’s NCARB Regional Summit Meeting in PA, Pat ran into classmate Nolanda J. (Hatcher) Bearden ’90, Birmingham AL, who serves on the AL Board of Architects. Ben Bolgar, MVO ’92MArch, London, serves as part-time executive director of projects for The King’s Foundation since 2005. The King’s Foundation was formed in 1990 as a global charity by King Charles III as Prince of Wales — inspired by His Majesty’s philosophy of harmony. It is responsible for leading new building and community regeneration projects ranging in scale from regional planning to low-carbon buildings. While a student at ND, Ben was one of the first to receive the new master’s in classical architecture and was recently back on campus after 25 years to review and judge the fifth-year graduating architecture students at ND. Marianne Cusato ’97, architecture and planning consultant, writes a regular column for Fine Homebuilding magazine, also is a special housing advisor to HomeAdvisor.com on topics relating to architecture, design and home building trends. She recently launched a new start-up that designs, manufactures and supplies the next generation of Katrina Cottages (308 s.f.) in kit form. Edmond G. Gauvreau, FAIA, ’79, chief, planning division, Headquarters, US Army Corps of Engineers, Washington DC, announced he is leaving that position and seeking new challenges. — Orlando T. Maione, FAIA Emeritus, FACHA Emeritus; 27 Bucknell Lane, Stony Brook NY 11790-2521; 631-246-5660; cell 516-578-5320; omaione@optonline.net

 

Biological Sciences

Once again we are indebted to Danielle “Dani” Cortez, MEd, the graduate student coordinator for the department, for providing the list of recent postgraduate doctoral and master’s degree students who are now joining the lengthening list of postgraduate alumni. Students receiving their degrees in August 2024 were: Claudia Vera Arias, Ph.D., Maggie Fink, Ph.D., Caroline Lara, Ph.D., Armando Marrufo, Ph.D., and Robert Poon, MS. Those receiving their degree in January 2025 were: Alex Boomgarden, Ph.D., James Knopp, Ph.D., Nathan “Nate” Kroeze, MS, Shuyue Li, Ph.D., Thomas Moran, Ph.D., Lee Nonnamaker, Ph.D., Theodore Reed, Ph.D., Mackenzie Sievert, Ph.D., Elise Snyder, Ph.D., Peter Stuckey, Ph.D., Annaliese Wieler, Ph.D., Christopher Winksi, Ph.D., and Yuting Zhang, Ph.D. The most recent graduate alumni of the department are: Amaryllis Adey, Ph.D., Sophia Baker, MS, Wesley Ercanbrack, Ph.D., Xiyuan Guan, MS, Kris Hawkins, MS, Jonathan Molina, Ph.D., Maisha Nima, Ph.D., Thanh Khoa Nugyen, Ph.D., Abagael Pruitt, Ph.D., Madison Schmidtmann, Ph.D., Alyssa Willson, Ph.D., and Alison Zachritiz, Ph.D. We wish these new alumni the best for success in their future endeavors. We hope they will stay in touch with their contemporaries and other alumni through this report as their careers move forward. At the deadline for this report, Nate Kroeze ’24MS wrote with a career update. The Glens Falls NY native and Boston College alumnus did his master’s thesis in the department on Chesapeake Bay salt marshes ecology. Now, while still residing in South Bend, Nate has an ecologist appointment jointly with the Great Lakes Commission and the US Geological Survey. He’ll be studying coastal ecosystems in the Great Lakes basin with a focus on promoting resilience. — Joan Smith Carter ’71MS and Philip B. Carter ’67, ’71Ph.D.; 12916 Barsanlaw Drive, Raleigh NC 27613-6400; res 919-848-2192; phil@ncsu.edu

 

History

Dr. Steve Brady is an associate professor at George Washington U where he does everything. An Associate Professor of History and International Affairs, Affiliated Faculty in Peace Studies, and Director of Undergraduate Studies and Advising in History. On top of that, Steve has a book coming out with Cambridge in October titled Less Than Victory: American Catholics and the Vietnam War. It is part of the Military, War, and Society series. Steve recently had a grant to study at Princeton where he will be working on his current project Adlai Stevenson: The Public Life of a Liberal Icon. He is also researching American paradiplomacy and, of course, just like me and Robert Shaffern, he is cheering on the Chicago Cubs. I will be back in October with the adventures of Rev. Wilson Miscamble, CSC, and Rev. Steven Avella. Both are enjoying their first year of retirement. Please let us know what you are up to! — Mary Linehan ’91Ph.D.; maryline113@yahoo.com

 

Mathematics

Hi! My name is Tori Spalding, and I have taken over this update column for Patti Strauch, who retired in January. I love hearing your updates about your professional and personal achievements, so please send me news about you or your classmates. — Tori Spalding; 574-631-6008; tspaldin@nd.edu

 

Master of Nonprofit Administration

Greetings to all MNA, EMNA and MSA alumni. The late spring of 2025 was abuzz with news of promotions and retirements. Congratulations to Andrew Wendelborn ’99, ’12MNA, who was promoted from assistant advising professor to associate advising professor effective July 1 and continues to serve as assistant dean for undergraduate studies at the Mendoza College of Business. Congratulations and sincere gratitude to three of our former professors who recently retired after over a century of combined service. Ed Hums ’75 began his first day of work at the University of Notre Dame ticket office just after graduation and fell in love with working on campus. He also met another young employee in the ticket office, Shirley Ann Romak ’97MNA, now his wife of 45 years. In the spring, Ed retired from the University after 50 years of employment, including the past 36 as a beloved teaching professor in accountancy. Combined with Shirley, who retired in 2022, the couple has dedicated 100 years of service to Notre Dame. “Teaching at Notre Dame is really special,” said Ed. “You’re surrounded by wonderful, bright students. And you’re surrounded by a Catholic character, which, for me, is very appreciated.” Over the years, Ed had the joy of working alongside many mentors, including his own former accountancy professor Ken Milani, who also retired in June after 53 years of teaching Federal Taxation, Cost Accounting and related classes at Notre Dame. Looking at the numbers, Milani estimates he taught somewhere between 12,000 to 15,000 students and trained maybe 5,000 of those to prepare federal and state income tax returns for free through the volunteer Tax Assistance Program he co-founded with two MBA students during his first year at Notre Dame. Some two dozen of those former volunteers have taken the TAP idea to other cities, magnifying its impact almost immeasurably. And since 2004, Milani has co-written and co-edited a weekly Sunday tax column in the South Bend Tribune that runs from December through April and gets picked up by USA Today. Finally, the name James O’Rourke IV ’68 promises a story. During a career spanning 55 years, the American rhetorician and corporate communications professor has told countless ones. Many have served as cautionary tales, others have inspired and all have demonstrated the storyteller’s keen understanding of human folly as well as human gumption. O’Rourke retired after 35 years of teaching at Mendoza College of Business where he founded the Fanning Center for Business Communication and served as the Arthur F. and Mary J. O’Neil Director of the center from 2008 to 2017. As a teaching professor of management and organization, he has published 23 books and nearly 450 case studies — the largest English-language collection of its kind — on management and corporate communication. He said of the University, “I love this place for a thousand reasons. … This place will change you if you let it. If you just work on finance problems or algorithms, you’re not going to be much different than when you arrived. More employable, yes, but if you buy into the values of this place, it will change you prominently and in a wonderful way. You’ve got to let it do that.” All MNA, MSA and EMNA alumni are encouraged to submit your news for upcoming Class Notes. You may email me directly at the address below. — Betsy Quinn ’12; betsyquinn@alumni.nd.edu

 

Master of Science in Management

Hello everyone! I hope you had a great summer. Please join me in congratulating Emily McNally ’17MSM on her graduation in May 2024 from IU McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis. She is now working as a deputy prosecuting attorney in Morgan County IN, focusing on domestic violence crimes. Emily and her husband, Andrew ’17MSEng, live in Greenwood IN with their three daughters: Selah (5), Mary Ann (3), and Eden (8 months). — Maddie Corsaro ’17; mcorsar1@alumni.nd.edu

 

Political Science Class Secretary — Charlie Kenney; 455 W. Lindsey, Room 205, Norman OK 73019; 405-325-3735; ckenney@ou.edu

 

Graduate Degrees

Jennifer Batt ’75MBA: My dad was 24 years old (the Class of ’41) when he attended the Notre Dame Great Lakes Navy vs. Notre Dame game in Chicago in 1943. He then joined the Merchant Marines from the Great Lakes Naval recruiting station, much to the worry of my mom. This was due to the fact that German U-boats were sinking Liberty ships on a daily basis in the North Atlantic. When I was 10 years old, my dad, my brother Rick and I would listen to all the Notre Dame games on the radio. My mom would make us snacks and listen with us. My brother would start three years later at Notre Dame in the fall of 1963 and graduate in 1967. I played my first game of golf at the course at Notre Dame and graduated with my MBA in 1975. In Our Hearts Forever Love Thee, Notre Dame. Len Clark ’90MA, author, and Jared Basker, illustrator, are proud to announce that their acclaimed children’s book, Teddy and The Gipper: A Notre Dame Friendship, has received second place in the self-published fiction category at the 2025 Catholic Media Association (CMA) Book Awards. CMA Book Awards recognize books that elevate faith, values and spiritual reflection across a variety of genres. Teddy and The Gipper: A Notre Dame Friendship tells the inspiring story of a young boy named Teddy and his connection with the legendary George Gipp, “The Gipper.” Set on the storied campus of the University of Notre Dame, the book celebrates timeless values and the power of friendship and is an uplifting story for readers of all ages. Len Clark, Ph.D., is an award-winning writer and broadcaster who covers Notre Dame athletics. Sister Kateri Marie Burbee, Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity, ’22 MA, was recently highlighted in the El Central Hispanic News article “How One Catholic Principal Is Shaping the Next Generation of Leaders.” “If you walk into Holy Redeemer Grade School, you’ll likely find its principal, Sister Kateri Marie Burbee, sharing a laugh with a student, warmly greeting a parent at the front door, or kindly answering a teacher’s question. Her enthusiastic approach to leadership stems from her strong faith and extensive background in education. Burbee’s more than 15 years of experience as a religious sister and 12 years of classroom experience have ensured that the more-than-140-year-old school continues to flourish in both faith and academics. This mission is especially important at Holy Redeemer. With 95% of its student body identifying as Hispanic, Burbee has helped make the school into a cultural and spiritual haven for local families. ‘Southwest Detroit is really a remarkable neighborhood,’ Burbee said. ‘I am inspired daily by the parents and the students. They just have such love, reverence, and devotion to our Lord.’” Charles M. “Chuck” Lepkowsky ’83MA, ’84Ph.D., psychology, is the 2025 recipient of the California Psychological Association’s Division I (Clinical) Lifetime Achievement Award, in recognition of his “hard work on advocacy, particularly in the area of accessibility, and for guiding CA psychologists to provide needed services.” — Marvin J. LaHood ’58MA, ’62Ph.D. English; 93 Parkhaven Drive, Amherst NY 14228; 716-691-4648; mlahood@roadrunner.com